More Live 8

Okay so I’ve tried to be calm and not rant but I’m going to have to now.
The whole thing has just wound me up tighter than a tight thing.

Imagine a place where people are so poor they cannot feed their children let alone themselves yet others have more money than they could ever spend.

The aims of Live 8 were to stop this imbalance, ending poverty.

So the fact that the event itself had the same dual standards was horrifying.

It was shameless elitism that had up to 15,000 Pimms and Champers drinking corporate hangers-on in a section to the side and in front of the stage, whilst keeping the fans sober and hemmed in behind a fence a football pitch away from the music and the stars.

Having spent most of the day in with the real fans in the main section I was shocked when I came into the Golden Circle to see people ordering £100 bottles of champagne. Others complaining the hot water had run out in the plush loos with carpetting and expensive lotions and handwash. What I guess they failed to understand was that the other side of the fence had the usual festival portaloos. More so I think they were missing the point. Millions in africa have no water let alone hot water to wash their hands after going for a pee.

Sir Bob was making noises about people making money of the back of selling their tickets on ebay yet today a search for Live8 brings up more results than almost anything else I’ve seen on ebay. Surely a blanket ban would have been better.

I’m now wondering if Live8 was more about the music industry looking to further it’s artists whilst showing them in a good light than it was about poverty. The most obvious of these being Mariah Carey, showing obviously false affection for the poor african children yet demanding a mic stand and water whilst doing her self promotional set. Mariah I think you missed the point love.

Oh My God!

Okay so here in the offices we get a lot of papers and magazines. Today though we were reduced to tears of laughter from one magazine. Not the mag itself more the advertisements in it. Would you for instance like to buy a doll with this description?
Madra plays a young woman who, after witnessing a gangland killing, can only remember the details in her dreams. Comes with picture hat and pastel gloves with floral trim, shoes, and hose.
I love the gangland killing bit. Makes it really special.

Also how about a genuine silver plated red arrow?

.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }
.flickr-frame { float: right; text-align: center; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }
.flickr-frame { float: right; text-align: center; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

Or better still how about a copy of your favourite football ground?

Your Favourite Stadium

Your Favourite Stadium – no assembly required!

And there are more in the supplemental adverts group on flickr.com

ebay and live8

So it looks like ebay‘s normal stance of not actually having stock and not really getting involved may be under fire today as live8live tickets are being put on sale on the site. Sir Bob Geldof is a little unhappy (as you can understand) that a concert to raise awareness for abject poverty is being used fo profiteering.
I saw later on the news that ebay are removing the auctions for tickets yet a search ealrier shows they are still happily allowing people to profit from the wristbands. Charity wristbands like the tickets for live8 should not be resold. It defeats the purpose of them in the first place. If you want a fashion wristband go and buy one from a store.

Directions

1. Start at Leicester Square

2. Catch Piccadilly Line to London Heathrow Airport.

3. Catch flight from London Heathrow to Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

4. Hire car at Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

5. Start going toward the “Airport Exit” on “International Parkway
South”
– Follow for 0.2 miles.

6. Bear left onto the highway toward “Terminal East Parking” –
follow
for
0.3 miles

7. Bear left onto “International Parkway North” toward “North
Airport
Exit” – Follow for 2.9 miles

8. Take the “Highway 114 west” exit toward “Fort Worth” – follow for
29.2
Miles

9. Then continue on “US 287 north” – follow for 91.1 miles

10.”US 287 north” becomes “Interstate-44 east” – follow for 0.7
miles

11. Take left fork onto “US-287 north” toward “Vernon” – follow for
104.0
Miles

12.”US 287 north” becomes “Avenue F (US-287)” – follow for 2.8 miles

13. Continue to follow “US 287 north” – follow for 104.9 miles

14. Take left ramp onto “Interstate 40 west” toward “Dumas” – follow
for
7.8 Miles

15. Take “Exit 70” onto “US 60 east” toward “Dumas” – follow for 0.5
Miles

16. Take the “Buchanan Street” exit toward “Dumas/Pampas” – follow
for
1.7
Miles

17. Turn right onto “Old Route 66 (Interstate 40)” – follow for 0.1
miles

Now that’s the way to f*cking Amarillo!!!!!!!!
SO CAN EVERYONE STOP SINGING IT NOW . . .!

Brands gone bad

Orange are brilliant. Well I used to think so anyway. So much so that I have recommended them to all of my friends and at least 5 of them have switched.
Their customer service is great. Up until last week.
I used to have a price plan that included orangecare insurance. Somehow or other over the years I no longer have this. I naturally had no idea having never needed to claim on my incsurance.
Last week My Nokia 7610 stopped working properly. It no longer reads any media card and the phone crashes when I get text messages whilst it tries to save things. I called Orange and they said no problem they would get a replacement out next day – the usual fantastic service. Until they called back to say that they couldn’t as I had no insurance. I’d have to send it back to Nokia or pay £30.

Okay so I’ve used Nokia phones now for over 10 years. Never a problem until this phone. I send it back for repair and start using my old Nokia 6100. I was impressed to receive the phone back in 3 working days despite them saying it could take up to 14. Sadly when I got it home the problem is still there. So not fixed after all then.

So I’m now feeling a little let down by two of my most trusted brands.
In July my contract is up and I think it’s about time I tried a motorola phone and Vodafone.

bloody sandwich shop

Okay so the sandwich shop opposite work is known for it’s crapness and usually the fact you hardly ever get what you ask for is just irksome. Today though I asked for avocado and salad. when prompted i asked for it again. and then a third time. finally selecting lettuce and tomato as my salad choice. So avocado lettuce and tomato. I’m not a cucumber fan so I asked for no cucumber. Five times I’d been asked, by the same guy. Not moving from one to another like in subway. The same guy. So when I get back to my desk what do I have? Avocado and cucumber.
Grrr